Online training customized for you is another option to supplement your workouts—and can be a particularly good option if you’ve got limited space at home. Even before coronavirus, the popularity of online training was on the rise as offerings evolved from one-size-fits-all packages (some free, some paid) to more specific programs that take into account everything from where you exercise to whether you’re training for a specific goal—such as an obstacle course race. Today there are plenty to choose from, and many allow clients to ask questions through email, an app, or phone calls.
I started using one of these plans about six years ago mostly because I wanted something tailored to my goals but that didn’t require meeting up with a trainer at a certain time of day. Yes, I love the gym. But given the unpredictability of my schedule as the digital editorial director here at CR, a fixed commitment of that kind isn’t realistic.
My trainer is B.J. Ward, the head coach at Born Fitness, a firm that has created custom training and nutrition plans for clients for more than a decade. Ward, an Army veteran and now a trainer for 10 years, has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
When the COVID-19 outbreak hit and it looked like many of us would be working from home for a while, I asked Ward to create some workouts for CR that would accomplish two things. One, be bodyweight-based so no equipment is required, and two, offer the ability to progress even over a long period of time.
“Your body does not need weights to change; it requires resistance,” Ward says. “When machines, dumbbells, and barbells are not available (or you’re avoiding public places), your bodyweight can be used to create an amazingly effective workout.”
He adds you just have to “create metabolic stress to compensate for a lack of overload” (e.g., adding weight as you get stronger). The way to do that is through circuits, one exercise after another.
In the workouts Ward created for CR, you’ll see circuits of six exercises that take a complete body approach, including the core. As you progress through the three different workouts, you’ll see the movements becoming harder and the …….